Molecular characterization of canine parvovirus-2 variants circulating in Tunisia

Canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV2) emerged in 1978 as a highly contagious and very serious disease in dogs. The characterization of CPV2 antigenic types is exclusively based on the identification of the amino acid residue at position 426 of the capsid protein VP2. Currently, three antigenic types CPV-2a (asparagine N⁴²⁶), CPV-2b (aspartic acid D⁴²⁶) and CPV-2c (glutamic acid E⁴²⁶) are circulating worldwide. In Tunisia, despite the fact that many clinical and few serological investigations clearly indicate that CPV is widespread and of major concerns in the local dog population, no molecular and antigenic type characterization of circulating variants has been carried out. This investigation showed that most of clinically presumed CPV infections were confirmed by classical or real-time PCR. When no real-time PCR facilities were affordable, classical PCR as reported here in association with restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) with MboI and MboII can be very useful for screening and diagnosing CPV infections. A total of 50 variants were characterized by sequencing and an almost even representation of the different antigenic types, including CPV-2c and slightly more type 2b, were evidenced. Characterization of the Tunisian variants by MGB probe assays as reported was inefficient for most of CPV-2a variants because of their typical nucleotide mutation C¹²⁶⁹. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the Tunisian variants underwent evolution for a relatively long period of time inside the country. The analysis also showed some crossings of the different antigenic types, leaving both genotypic and phenotypic characteristic mutations.     

Acute fatty liver of pregnancy. About 22 cases

OBJECTIVE: To report the clinical experience, biochemical findings, complications and maternal outcome in patients with acute fatty liver of pregnancy (AFLP). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective study over a period of 11 years (1993-2003). The diagnosis of AFLP was confirmed by liver biopsy in 15 women. However, in 7 women a medical committee that took into account clinical symptoms, and laboratory findings assessed the diagnosis. RESULTS: Were included in this study, 22 women with a mean age of 30+/-5.4 years. Only 22.7% of cases were primigravid. The mean gestational age was 36+/-2.76 weeks (range 31-41 weeks). The fetus was a male infant in 75% of cases. Ten women were admitted in the hospital without jaundice. However 15 women had developed an icterus since their hospital admission or during ICU stay. The mean SAPS II on the ICU admission was of 24.86+/-11.2 points. Biological disturbances observed were mainly: liver cytolysis in 91% of cases, a trend to hypoglycaemia in 86%, a hypoprotidemia in 66.7% and CIVD in 32%. During their ICU stay, 19 women (86.4%) developed one or several organ failures associated to the hepatic failure and 18 women required blood transfusion. After an average stay of 7.5 days, evolution was marked by the death of seven patients (31.8%). Factors correlated with a poor prognosis were: the delay of medical consultation, the development of jaundice, the development of encephalopathy, respiratory or a circulatory failure. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: AFLP is a rare but life-threatening complication. Furthermore AFLP shares features with other more common and less perilous illnesses. An early diagnosis and appropriate therapy of this pathology should improve the poor prognosis in our country.     

Performance enhancement of a thermal energy storage system using shape-stabilized LDPE/hexadecane/SEBS composite PCMs by copper oxide addition

Thermal Energy Storage (TES) technologies based on Phase Change Materials (PCMs) with small temperature differences have effectively promoted the development of clean and renewable energy. The organic phase change materials are most commonly used in latent heat TES (LHTES). Nevertheless, the trend of this type of material limits their applications because of their low thermal conductivities and liquid leakage over the phase transition process. Copper oxide (CuO) microparticles served as an additive to enhance thermal performance and a series of shape-stabilized composite PCMs (SSPCMs) were prepared by physical impregnation. The composites were characterized for their micro-morphology, chemical structure, thermal degradation stability and thermal energy storage performance with the aid of SEM, FT-IR, ATG, infrared thermography (IRT) and DSC, respectively. To obtain the maximally efficient energy storage capacity, the mass fraction of Hex (PCM) was found to be 75%, with a good form stability, which surmounts almost all mass fraction values reported in the literature. The ATG curves of all PCM composites revealed that addition of CuO has increased the onset degradation temperature and the maximum weight loss temperature. During the heating and cooling processes, leakage and impairment of the composite PCM were not detected. Significant enhancement in melting time and larger heat storage capacity were observed when 15% CuO was added to the SSPCM as revealed by IRT. The DSC results of the SSPCM composite indicated that the presence of CuO microparticles in PCM composites reduces the supercooling effect during the phase change process and increases the energy storage/release capacity with suitable phase change temperatures for building TES applications.

Thermal Energy Storage (TES) technologies based on Phase Change Materials (PCMs) with small temperature differences have effectively promoted the development of clean and renewable energy.     

Vertebral solitary bone plasmacytoma in a young adult with Trisomy 21: A case report

Context: Solitary bone plasmacytoma (SBP) are rare lesions, accounting for less than 5% of all plasma cell proliferations. We describe a case of a 21-year-old female with Trisomy 21 presenting with cauda equina compression from an SBP.Findings: Solitary bone plasmacytoma (SBP) is a rare primary bone tumor. It is characterized by monoclonal proliferation of malignant plasma cells localized to a bone segment, without signs of systemic invasion. The vertebral location is the most common. It preferentially affects men during their 5th or 6th decade.Clinical relevance: We report the first association between solitary bone plasmacytoma and Trisomy 21.     

Kikuchi-Fujimoto's disease and connective tissue disease: a report of three cases

INTRODUCTION: Kikuchi-Fujimoto's disease or histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis, clinicopathological entity of unknown aetiology, is a rare and benign cause of cervical lymphadenopathies. It can be associated with various auto-immune diseases especially systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) or with some infectious agents. EXEGESIS: This report describes a survey of three patients who developed Kikuchi's lymphadenitis occurring concomitantly with connective tissue disease: LES in two cases and non determined connective tissue disease in the other case. Comparing the clinical, histopathological and evolutionary findings to the literature allows to identify the main features of this self-limiting disorder: occurrence in young women; clinical presentation with cervical lymphadenopathy in a context of fever and asthenia. The definite diagnosis is usually made through histopathological examination of a lymph node biopsy. Disease course is generally favourable with spontaneous resolution within few weeks. It may be improved with corticosteroid treatment in patients with systemic involvement. Prognosis is related to the associated disease. CONCLUSION: Kikuchi-Fujimoto's disease is a rare and benign cause of cervical lymphadenopathy that could resemble lymphoma, tuberculosis and may be associated with a characterized systemic disease.